Dispenser for condiments or the like



Nov. 17, 1942. 1 CARETTO 2,302,186

DISPENSER FOR CONDIMENTS OR THE LIKE Filed June 13, 1939 J 390/ 28 24245 4 J 1 I 22 ,2 I [Z5 1 3 19 INVENTOR W W;

BY mflg ATTORNEY within.

Patented Nov. 17, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

9 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensers for condiments or the like of thecharacter adapted for holding a plurality of different condimentseffectively isolated from each other within the device, and relates,more particularly to such deviceswhich comprise-a plurality of separatecontainers whichmay be removed, and either replenished or replaced byother similar containers.

An important object of the invention is the provision, in such a device,of improved means whereby any selected container may readily be removedtherefrom and replaced while other cc-ntainers remain within the device.

Another object is the provision of improved means for holding aplurality of containers within the device in such manner as to preventin-- termingling of the contents thereof, and also to effectually sealthe contents of the several said containers against communication withthe, outside air when the device is not in use.

Another object is the provision of improved selective means forcontrolling the discharge ofthe contents from the several containers.

A further object is the provision, in such a device,- of a containerhaving improved means for facilitating its manipulation in inserting itinto and removing it'from the device.

Other objects will be. apparent upon considerationof the-followingspecification and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is aside elevation of a dispenser accordln'g'to theipresentinvention.

is asubstantially central vertical sectidnal view of the device,substantially on the the device on the line-5 of Fig. 2.-

. F g. 6 is a vertical sectionaldetail of the bottom-of the device takenat a right angle to the view thereof shown in Fig. 2.

A plurality of elongated segmental containers Hare provided'fo'r holdingvarious condiments, such for'example, as cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika,curry powder, celery salt, etc.,. and. are preferablyradiallyarranged,as best se'en in' Fig. .5, within-asuitable-holder which is-preferablycircularj 'in cross-section and "of such sizeas to snugly accommodatethe said containers there- The said holder includes'a base i 2 uponwhich maybeint'egrally formed ashell IS, the side wall of which is cutaway to form vertical openings [4 rendering the containers visible andpermitting the said containers to be manipulated for inserting them intoand removing them from the device, as will be hereinafter explained. Thesides of the openings M are defined by intervening ribs l5 behind whichthe several containers abut, as best seen in Fig. 5; A vertical flangeI6 is welded, soldered or otherwise fixedly secured upon the inner sideof one of the ribs l5 and extends inwardly between two adjacentcontainers it so that when the device is assembled and operated the saidcontainers are effectively prevented from rotating about the axis of theholder.

The shell l3 may be provided with a flat top H, which, if the device isformed of thin sheet metal such as tin, may be held firmly in place bymeans of an inturned bead l8. The top I! preferably has a soft gasket l9cemented or should preferably be formed of a fairly rigid,

yet somewhat resilient material, such for example, as cork, thusaffording a suitable surface -upon which a rotatable dischargecontrolling a plan'view of-the under side of the devi e. I I

' gagement with the cork gasket 20.

device or shutter 2| may turn.

The shutter 25 is preferably provided with a flat surface 22 on itsunder side, in intimate en- The top I! and the gaskets l9 and 20 haveopenings 23 cut or otherwise formed therein and arranged to registerwith the several containers H, to form discharge ports for the latterand: uncut portions 2! between and partly defining said openings. Theshutter 2|, as best seen in-Fig. 4, is provided with. a plurality ofupwardly-extending radial finger grips 24 which enable said shutter tobe. gripped in practically any position. by the user to rotate theshutter. I

'One or more apertures are provided within a restricted area upon saidshutter, which area an uncut portion 21 of the shell top. The saidapertures in the shutter preferably comprise a.

large aperture 25 and a plurality of radially arranged small apertures26 disposed alongside the aperture 25. With the severalipartsproportioned and arranged in this manner. either orboth, the" largeaperture 25 and the small apertures 26 may be opened by being broughtinto register with any selected one of the openings 23 by rotating theshutter 2|. When one or more of said apertures 25 and 26 are open, anyof such apertures, not in register with the openings 23, overlie anadjacent uncut portion 21, and hence, are closed. Thus, by suitablyrotating the top, the user may readily discharge a large amount, such asa teaspoonful, of a selected condiment, from the device through theaperture 25, or may sift the condiment from the device through theapertures 2B, or he may completely close the device by causing allapertures 25 and 26 to overlie one of the uncut portions 21.

It is important in a device of this character, that the containers bereadily removable and replaceable -to permit replenishment of thecontents thereof. Likewise, it is important that the upper open ends ofthe containers ll firmly and completely engage the under side of thegasket l9 whereby to precent leakage and intermingling of the contentsof the several containers and that the shutter 2i seat firmly upon thefiat top H of the shell.

These important attributes, just mentioned, are achieved, according tothe present invention, by the provision of an axially-extending rod 28which passes centrally through the shutter 2!, the fiat top H, and thegaskets l9 and 20 associated therewith, and extends downwardly to apoint below the bottoms of the containers H. The upper end of the rod 28may be enlarged or may have a ball or nut 28a screwed onto or otherwisefirmly fixed thereto to engage the top of the shutter 2!, as best seenin Fig. 2, whereby to limit the upward movement of the latter relativelyto said rod. The lower end of the rod 28 extends downwardly through asubstantially circular fiat plate 29 (hereinafter referred to as akeeper) and into an inverted channel 30 soldered to or otherwise firmlyfixed to or formed integrally with the keeper 29. A centrally-aperturedleaf-spring 3| is disposed on the rod 28 within said channel and isarranged to exert tension upwardly against the keeper 29 and downwardlyupon a cotter pin 32 extending through an aperture at the lower end ofthe rod 28.

Under this arrangement the single spring 3i serves through the medium ofthe rod 28, to urge and maintain the shutter 2| in intimate slidableengagement with the gasket 20, and through the medium of the keeper 29said spring serves to urge the containers ll upwardly and hold themsecurely in position against the under side of the gasket I9.

As best seen in Fig. 3, the keeper 29 has a segmental portion cut awayas at 33 to an extent slightly greater than the cross-sectional area ofa container l i. The channel 36 serves as a finger grip by which thekeeper 29 may be rotated either to the position shown in full lines inFig. 3 wherein the said keeper engages all of the containers in thedevice whereby to securely hold them in place, or the said keeper may berotated to the position shown in broken lines in said figure so that acontainer H, registering with the cut-away portion 33, may be sliddownwardly out of the device in the manner indicated in broken lines inFig. 2. The edges of the cutaway portion 33 are flanged downwardlyslightly as at 33a, 33a, to facilitate movement of the keeper over theunder sides of the containers.

The containers, as hereinbefore explained, preferably fit snuglytogether, and to facilitate removal of a container in the manner justdescribed, a horizontal groove 34 is provided in the outer side of eachcontainer and said grooves. being accessible through the verticalopenings I 4, may be engaged by the thumb nail of the user and henceafi'ord a positive means either for forcing the containers downwardlywhen removing them, or for urging the containers up- .wardly wheninserting them in the device.

The containers l I, as indicated in the drawing, may preferably beformed of transparent material, and as they are visible through thevertical openings M, the user may readily see when the contents requirereplenishing.

The containers II are adaptable for use as refills in marketing suchproducts and, hence, if distributors of condiments or the like shouldadopt them for that purpose it would only be necessary to remove theclosure or top from such a refill and insert it in the device.

.In view of the fact that only one embodiment has been employed hereinfor describing the invention, various modifications are hereinaftermentioned, without, however, attempting to explain all the possiblemodifications in which the invention may be embodied. For example, theshutter 2| could be rounded so that it substantially conforms to thepalm of the users hand and thus could easily b turned; or, instead ofhaving a substantial number of finger grips 24 as illustrated, a lessernumber of such grips could be employed, or finger recesses could beemployed in the shutter, if desired. The device could be polygonalinstead of circular as illustrated, and it could be made of any suitablematerial. The shell could be molded of suitable material, and when soformed, or even when the device is formed of sheet metal, the gaskets l9and 20 could possibly be dispensed with. The spring 3!, of course, neednot necessarily be a leaf-spring.

It will thus be understood that the single embodiment illustrated in thedrawing and described in this specification has been employed merely forthe purpose of illustration, and that the details of construction may bevaried in many ways without, however, departing from the invention asdefined in the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a dispenser for condiments or the like, comprising a plurality ofremovable containers, a frame for holding said containers in fixedpositions in the dispenser, and means for discharging the contents ofsaid containers, a rotatable member secured upon said frame, said memberbeing adapted in one position to engage and hold all said containersagainst removal and having an opening adapted, through rotation of saidmember to register with any selected one of said containers, the saidopening being sufficiently large to permit withdrawal of said selectedcontainer from the dispenser through said opening, the said membermeanwhile being in engagement with all other containers in thedispenser, whereby to securely hold the latter containers in place.

2. In a dispenser for condiments or the like, comprising a plurality ofradially arranged removable containers, a frame for holding saidcontainers in such radial arrangement, and means for discharging thecontents of said containers, a rotatable keeper secured upon said frame,said keeper being adapted in one position to engage and hold all saidcontainers against removal and having an eccentric opening adaptedthrough rotation of said keeper to register with any selected one ofsaid containers, the said opening being sufficiently large to permitwithdrawal of said selected container from the dispenser through saideccentric opening.

3. In a dispenser for condiments or the like, comprising a plurality ofremovable containers, a frame for holding said containers in fixedpositions in the dispenser, and means for discharging the contents ofsaid containers, a rotatable member secured upon said frame, said memberbeing adapted in one position to engage and hold all said containersagainst removal and having a recess adapted, through rotation of saidmember, to register with any selected one of said containers, the saidrecess being sufliciently large to permit withdrawal of said selectedcontainer from the dispenser through said recess.

4. In a dispenser for condiments or the like, comprising'a plurality ofcircularly-arranged removable containers, a frame for holding saidcontainers in such circular arrangement, and means for discharging thecontents of said containers, a rotatable keeper secured upon said frame,said keeper being adapted in one position to engage and hold all saidcontainers against removal and having a peripheral recess adapted,through rotation of said keeper, to register with any selected one ofsaid containers, the said recess being sufficiently large to permitwithdrawal of said selected container from the dispenser through saidrecess.

5. In a dispenser for condiments or the like, comprising a plurality ofradially-arranged removable containers, a frame for holding saidcontainers in such radial arrangement, and means for discharging thecontents of said containers, a rotatable keeper secured upon said frame,said keeper being adapted in one position to engage and hold all saidcontainers against removal and having an eccentric cut-away portionlarger than and substantially conforming to a cross-section of one ofsaid containers, and means for holding said keeper in intimateengagement with said containers, the said portion being arranged toregister, by rotation of the keeper, with any selected container wherebyto permit withdrawal of the latter from within the dispenser throughsaid cut-away portion.

6. A dispenser for condiments or the like, comprising a plurality ofradially arranged containers, 9. frame having openings communicatingwith the interior of each of said containers, a rotatable shutter memberhaving an aperture adapted to register with any one of said openingswhereby to permit discharge of the contents of a container communicatingwith such opening, a retatable keeper member adapted to retain all saidcontainers within said frame and having an eccentric cut-away portionadapted to register with any selected one of said containers whereby topermit withdrawal of such selected container from within the said frame.

7. A dispenser according to claim 6, further characterized in that thesaid rotatable shutter and keeper members are interconnected and inincluding a spring coacting with one of said rotatable members wherebyto yieldably hold the said shutter member in intimate engagement withthe said frame and the said keeper member in intimate engagement withthe said containers.

8. A dispenser for condiments or the like, comprising a plurality ofradially arranged containers all open at one end thereof, a cylindricalholder for said containers, said holder being open at one end and havingat its opposite end a circular plate having openings coinciding with theopen ends of such containers, a substantially circular rotatable keepermember in engagement with said containers at the open end of the saidholder, a substantially circular rotatable shutter member in engagementwith said circular plate and adapted to permit discharge of the contentsof any selected one of said containers, and a coaxial connecting memberextending longitudinally of said holder and connecting together saidshutter and keeper members.

9. A dispenser for condiments or the like, comprising a plurality ofradially-arranged containers, a fixed top having a plurality of similarradially-arranged openings each adapted to serve as a discharge port fora different one of said containers, a plurality of similar interveningportions of said top of substantially the same size as said openings,and a rotatable shutter adapted to intimately engage said top, the saidshutter having a single set of apertures formed within an areacorresponding to one of said openings and the said set of aperturescomprising a relatively large radially-extending aperture and aradiallyextending row of smaller apertures, whereby said apertures maybe moved to positions affording control of the discharge of the contentsof a single container while said shutter prevents discharge of thecontents of any other container.

LOUIS CARETTO.

